Doug Creamer: Baptized
Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 21, 2017
We had three people get baptized at church last week. The pastor talked about the purpose and the importance of making such a public profession of our faith. I was baptized as a small child but then decided as an adult to get baptized again. I wanted to get baptized outside, so we went to the pool at an apartment complex for my baptism.
Our church has a baptismal pool in the sanctuary. Our pastor can stand behind the pool as each person enters from the side. My favorite part of the service was allowing each person to share their testimony. There was a husband and wife who were baptized. The wife’s testimony was sweet and tender. She talked about the influence of her husband and several others that brought her to the place of making the public profession of her faith.
Her husband shared his testimony of how his wife had encouraged him in his faith and how he wanted to be a godly man in his home. He also mentioned others who impacted his life to cause him to make his public profession of his faith. The third fellow is engaged to another member of our congregation. He shared about the impact of his fiancée on his life. By the time they finished their testimonies and were baptized, there wasn’t a dry eye in the church.
After the service we adjourned to the fellowship hall where we had some finger foods. There was a fun twist for a baptism…all the foods were things you can “dip.” There were chips with salsa, and strawberries and pretzels that could be dipped in a chocolate fountain. There were other things there, but you get the point. It was a fun celebration for those who were baptized.
I liked how their testimonies revealed how much we need each other if we hope to live our Christian faith. Each person shared how the influence of others made it possible for them to make a public declaration of their faith in Jesus. We have an impact and we make a difference in the lives of others…especially with our spouse and family.
The Bible teaches us that some sow the seed, others water it, others tend to the young plants, and then others get to gather the harvest. Each one of us plays a vital role in other people’s choice to follow Jesus. One role is not more important than another. God needs all of us to do our parts so He can work through us. We have to remember that God is the one orchestrating everything; we just get to be His vessels.
We need each other to make this important decision, but we also need each other to grow in our Christian walk. Following Jesus is a daily decision that challenges us because we have an enemy of our soul who wants us to choose a different path. He will put traps in our path and attempt to lead us astray from our devotion to Jesus. Temptations are challenging choices to see if our devotion is real.
In order to maintain our Christian walk, we need each other. I need you to remind me if you see me step out of line. I need you to encourage me when I am down and struggling with daily challenges. I need you to pray for me when I struggle with doubt and temptation. I need you to remind me of the promises in God’s word. I need you to push me when I am sluggish. I need you to pick me up when I fall.
It goes both ways. We need each other. That’s why it is so important to find a church home filled with imperfect people who can encourage and challenge you to keep up the faith. I love my church family and they love me. Our job is to remind each other of the promises of God and the goal of our faith. I know I need to be reminded and pushed from time to time, and I imagine you are no different from me.
I want to encourage you to be connected to other believers at church, at work, and in your personal life. We all need to be reminded when the going gets tough to press on. We all face dark days and we need the helping hand of a good, godly friend. Discover ways to connect with other believers who can give you that little push when you get stuck. Also, keep your eyes open for others who are struggling because I believe God can use you to be the encourager they need.
Contact Doug at doug@dougcreamer.com
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